His striking calls for order in the Brexit debates in the House of Commons have made John Bercow known beyond Great Britain.
Now he is converting from the Tories to the Labor Party - and criticizing.
London (dpa) - With his calls to order ("ordeeeer, ordeeer") he achieved worldwide fame - now ex-House of Commons John Bercow has defected to the British Labor Party.
The former Tory politician said the "Observer" in an interview that was published on Sunday.
Bercow also took the opportunity to criticize Prime Minister Boris Johnson. "He's a successful campaigner, but a lousy ruler," said Bercow, adding, "I don't think he has a vision for a fairer society, any hunger for social mobility or a passion for improving people's lot, who are not doing as well as he is. ”People were increasingly“ fed up with lies, fed up with empty phrases, fed up with failure, ”said the 58-year-old.
During his time as Speaker of the House of Commons, Bercow had generously interpreted the rights of MPs and thus especially caused trouble for ex-Prime Minister Theresa May. At times, a group of Brexit opponents in the conservative ruling party was able to take the legislative process in hand with the help of the opposition in order to block the path to a no-deal Brexit. When Boris Johnson later put Parliament on a forced break, Bercow found clear words. It was an "act of executive authorization," he said at the time. He was later ruled by the Supreme Court and declared the Parliament's closure unlawful.
Johnson did not nominate Bercow as a return coach as a member of the House of Lords, as is usually the case for former House Presidents.
Bercow's successor in the speaker's chair, Lindsay Hoyle, had clearly distanced himself from Bercow's idiosyncratic style when he was elected two years ago.
In the meantime, however, he too is increasingly confronted with the government.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210620-99-68702 / 2
Report in the "Observer / Guardian"